Sampler and method of sampling

ABSTRACT

A method of sampling solids on a continuous or periodic basis is shown which involves a sample cup with a counterweighted gate. The sampler is timer controlled for frequency of sampling and for time of sampling. The sample cup is designed to prevent bridging during discharge. The use of the sampling device in controlling a cement kiln is also described.

United States Patent [191 Daniels et al.

[451 Apr. 9, 1974 SAMPLER AND METHOD OF SAMPLING [73] Assignee: ColumbiaCement Corporation,

Columbus, Ohio [22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 185,599

[52] US. Cl. 73/423 R, 73/422 R [51] Int. Cl. G0ln 1/20 [58] Field ofSearch 73/423 R, 422 R, 421 R; 141/10; 222/356 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,875,472 9/1932 McGregor 73/421 R 3,376,7524/1968 Malone 73/423 R 3,524,352 8/1970 Paul 73/423 R 976,852 11/1910Dorsey et al 73/423 R 2,738,679 3/1956 Senkowski 73/423 R Adler et al.73/423 R 2,668,447 2/1954 Lenhart 73/422 R 2,977,800 4/1961 .lordison73/423 R 887,615 5/1908 Fenstermaker.... 73/423 R 3,005,347 10/1961Smithson 73/423 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 19,223 8/1909 GreatBritain 73/423 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser AssistantExaminer-Daniel M. Yasich Attorney, Agent, or FirmWebb, Burden, Robinson& Webb I 57 ABSTRACT A method of sampling solids on a continuous orperiodic basis is shown which involves a sample cup with acounterweighted gate. The sampler is timer controlled'for frequency ofsampling and for time of sampling. The sample cup is designed to preventbridging during discharge. The use of the sampling device in controllinga cement kiln is also described.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAFR 9 I974 SHEET 8 0F 2 INVENTORS Hw/m0 4. DAMEL .e/c/mzn P. 16/57251 ATTORNEYS SAMPLER AND METHOD OFSAMPLING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture of manyproducts, particularly chemical products in solid form such as cement,glass batch, pigments, limestone, gypsum, crystals of various salts suchas KCl, NaCl, Na SO and the like, close and careful control of operatingconditions is typically desired to insure the production of uniformproducts. This control may involve adjustment of feed materials to theprocess, adjustments in operating conditions, temperatures, pressuresand the like and changes in operating equipment such as grinders,mixers, kilns and the like to alter the physical or chemicalcharacteristics of a product when it ceases to conform to a setstandard.

In order to ascertain the integrity of a solid product produced and thecontinuous production of uniform material, it is an importantconsideration that an adequate and representative sample of product beobtained either on a continuous or intermittent basis so that theproduct can be analyzed physically and/or chemically to insure that theoperation is performing satisfactorily. In any such procedure, thesampling method used is important. Many of the sampling methods anddevices available for this type of service with product solids leavesomething to be desired. Thus, many are based on rotating shafts and cuparrangements that are high in maintenance costs. Others based oninversion of sample cups for collection of samples result in incompletesampling due to sticking of the solids in the sample cup. This latterproblem is particularly bothersome when hot solids are collected. Thus,in sampling a cement clinker for example that is hot (130 to 400F.),sticking of material to sample cups is quite common. Further, scoopsintroduced into storage hoppers on a periodic basis give inaccurateanalyses of the material passing through the system at any given periodof time.

THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a methodof sampling and a sampling apparatus is provided which minimizes oreliminates many of the drawbacks associated with the prior art.

The invention, for convenience, will be described as it relates tosampling a cement clinker produced in a cement kiln, it being understoodthat the invention has utility in other manufacturing processesproducing so]- ids that require a periodic or continuous analysis todetermine process integrity in producing uniform product.

In the manufacture of cement a kiln is used to roast the shale andlimestone feeds to provide a cement clinker. Thus, kilns operate at hightemperatures (1,500 to 3,000F.) and produce a cement clinker which issubsequently fed to a finish mill (typically a ball mill) where theclinker is ground and mixed with an appropriate quantity of gypsum toproduce a finished cement product. It is desirable to sample theclinkers produced by the kilns so that their physical and chemicalcharacteristics can be monitored prior to sending them to the finishmill to provide uniform cement product.

In accordance with the instant invention the clinker is sampled atspecific time intervals with the sample cup being exposed to thecollection of clinkersample for a preset period of time to insurecollection of a representative sample of all clinker being sampled.

The invention involving the method of sampling and the apparatus usedwill be more readily understood with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the sampling apparatus partially broken away toillustrate the sample cup mechanism and a horizontally moving armattached thereto with the cup positioned in a solids sampling zone;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sampling apparatus partially broken away toillustrate the sample cup mechanism and horizontally moving arm attachedthereto with the cup positioned in the sampling collection zone;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the sampling apparatus partially broken away toillustrate the sample cup mechanism in the sample discharge position inthe sampling cup collection zone;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the sample cup and arm mechanism ofFIGS. 1, 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the sampling mechanism of theinstant invention showing the solenoid actuating mechanism, timer andpreferred pneumatic method of moving the cup.

Turning to FIG. 4 there is shown the sample cup 1, provided with abottom member 2 secured to the front wall of sample cup 1 by hinge 5. Acounterweight 3 is positioned in front of hinge 5 on the upper portion.A shield member 4 is secured to the front wall of the cup 1 by members12. Member 4 is constructed so as to cover the bottom member 2 forwardof the hinge 5, the counterweight and the front wall of the sample cupto thereby prevent any solids being sampled from collecting on thesemembers. The sides of the sample cup 1 are sloped outwardly to provide atrapezoidal shape to the cup 1 with the top of the cup 1 having asmaller cross sectional area than the bottom. In general it is desirableto provide a slope to the sides of the cup 1 of at least 7 degrees froma vertical line drawn at right angles to the horizontal planes definingthe top and bottom of cup 1. This configuration of the cup 1 isimportant, especially when the cup is used with hot or sticky solids toprevent bridging and agglomeration of solids in the cup 1 duringsampling.

On the posterior of the cup 1 opposite shield 4 is a plate or shield 8which covers the attachment end of rod member 7 to prevent solids fromaccumulating thereon. Rod member 7 is attached to the back wall of thecup 1 in any convenient manner. Rod 7 is a metal tube or rod which isactuated to move in the plane of its long axis. This is accomplished byinsertion of the free end thereof in an air cylinder 25 as illustratedin FIG. 5 though other linkage with a source of energy for movement canbe made.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the operation of the sampling mechanism is depictedto illustrate its operation in sampling a solid material falling in achute. Thus as shown in FIG. I the sample cup I has been extended in tochute or conveyor 10 in which solid particles 13 are falling. As showntherein the particles 13 pass into the cup 1 through the open topfilling the cup 1. The shield 4 protects the counterweight 3, hinge 5and bottom 2 of the cup 1 located below the shield 4' from receivingparticles 13 thereon. The rod 7 is shown in its fully extended positionand in passage through the falling particles 13 the cup has accumulatedparticles across the entire stream.

In FIG. 2 the rod 7 has begun to retract from the piston stroke itreceived from the air cylinder 25 (FIG. 5). The bent lip 11 of thebottom 2 of cup 1 has engaged the trip mechanism or rod member 6 whichis conveniently attached to the wall of the sample collection chamber 9and the bottom 2 due to the force applied to it by hitting the tripmechanism during retraction of rod 7 has begun to open.

In FIG. 3 the bottom 2 of the cup 1 has opened and the contents of thesample cup 1 are discharged into the sample collection chamber 9 fromwhich they are collected in a container 16 shown attached to the bottomof chamber 9.

In its entirety the apparatus is shown in FIG. 5. In this system thereis provided an air cylinder 25 which is fed through lines 26 and 27attached to a double action solenoid valve 28. The air for the system issupplied by a pressurized air supply line 29. The solenoid valve insolenoid 28 is timer controlled with a timer 30. Line 27 actuates thecylinder 27 to thrust the arm 7 in a direction to extend the cup 1 intothe chamber through opening provided therein. The length of time thatthe cup is extended is controlled by a second timer 31 whichde-energizes solenoid valve 28 and reverses the thrust of piston rod 7via air pressure applied in line 26. In a typical operation for samplinga cement clinker stream the sampling may be conducted on any convenienttime basis (A hour intervals) and the sample cup extended through thestream for a period of time sufficient to collect material across theentire descending stream of particles 13.

In the operation of the instant invention in a cement making operationthe sampling method and apparatus of the instant invention was used inthe following manner.

Cement clinker 13, which was being passed to a finish ball mill on avibrating conveyor was allowed to fall through a vertically disposedchute 10 to a second vibrating conveyor for feed to the finish mill.Chute 10 had an opening 15 provided therein in the wall and wasphysically attached to a sample collection zone 9. Timer 30 wasconnected to a double action solenoid valve 28 .connected to a suitableair supply 29. The timer 30 was set to actuate the sampler arm 7 every30 minutes and to extend and retract the sampler arm 7 in a timeinterval of three fourths of a second. Air lines 26 and 27 were suppliedto the air cylinder 25 having the rod 7 attached to sample cup 1. Uponactuation of the solenoid valve 28 by the timer 30 at a 30 minuteinterval the piston rod 7 moved the attached sample cup 1 forwardthrough opening 15 in the wall of the chute 10. The counterweight 3forced the bottom 2 of the sample cup 1 closed as it passed the tripper6 in its passage out of chamber 9 and into chamber 10. Counterweight 3was a box filled with sufficient lead to maintain the bottom 2 closedwhen sample cup 1 was filled with cement clinker. The sample cup passedthrough the stream 13 and by action of the second timer 31 deenergizedsolenoid valve 28 and let the cup return in a period of three fourths ofa second. The arm or rod 7 in its return passed the lip 11 of bottom 2into contact with tripper 6 which forced the bottom 2 away from thesample cup 1 as the cup I returned to chamber 9. In the open positionthe cement clinker 13 fell through chambet 9 and into the samplecollection zone 16. The sampler stayed in this position for a period of30 minutes after which timer 30 actuated solenoid 28 and the sequencewas repeated.

In general the sampling system may be subject to considerable variationwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, the rod 7 canbe moved by mechanical means by connecting the timer to a suitable motorwhich will drive the rod 7 at the set intervals. While in the preferredembodiment the sample cup 1 was constructed of stainless steel as wasthe shield 4, this is not critical. For specific sampling it may bedesirable to construct this of ceramics or some other metalliccomponents. Similarly, the invention has been specifically describedwith reference to sampling cement clinker in cement making operationsfor convenience. The method is equally applicable to sampling salts froman evaporation process, to sampling glass batch from a glass batchmanufacturing process or any other solids making operations requiringmonitoring of the product.

Thus, while the invention has been described with reference to certainillustrated embodiments, it is not intended to be so limited exceptinsofar as appears in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. A sampling device for sampling hot falling solids such as hot cementclinker which comprises a chute providing a path for said fallingsolids, a rod supporting a sample cup, said rod being mounted toselectively reciprocate and thereby cause the cup to be projected intosaid chute and into said path of falling solids whereby solids arecollected in the cup and to be withdrawn from said path to a cupemptying position over a sample collection zone, said cup being open atthe top and having a bottom member to close when the cup is in said pathand to open and to permit collected solids to discharge from the cupthrough the bottom portion thereof when the cup is moved over the samplecollection zone; means holding said bottom in the closed position whilethe cup is disposed in said path of solids and means to move the bottommember to the open position when the cup is moved over the samplecollection zone. I

2. A sampling device for sampling hot falling solids such as hot cementclinker which comprises a chute providing a path for said fallingsolids, a sample cup open at the top and having a bottom member which ishinged and selectively held in either a closed position or in an openposition, means for carrying the cup into the path of falling solidswhereby said solids are collected in the cup and then out of said pathto a sample collection zone, means for holding the bottom membernormally in a closed position when the cup is in said path and means tomove the bottom member to an open position when the cup is carried overthe sample collection zone.

3. The sampling device of claim 2 wherein the sides of the cup aresloped toward the bottom of the cup to provide a greater cross sectionat the bottom than at the top whereby to minimize bridging of collectedsolids in the cup when the bottom member is open.

4. The sampling device of claim 3 wherein the bottom member is hinged soas to be capable of moving to an open and also to a closed position andis counterweighted at one end to hold the member normally in the closedposition when the cup is in the path of solids and the opening means areprovided over the sample collection zone to engage the bottom member andto overcome the closing movement of the counterweight and to move thehinged bottom member to an open position whereby to permit discharge ofsolids in response to conveyance of the cup over the sample collectionzone.

5. The sampling device of claim 4 wherein the counterweight is shieldedfrom the falling solids of said path.

6. The sampling device of claim 4 wherein the cup is mounted on a rodwhich is capable of being reciprocated to project the cup into thesolids path and to withdraw the cup to the sample collection zone, saidrod being actuated by a fluid cylinder and means are provided toperiodically actuate said cylinder by controlling fluid supply to thecylinder whereby to achieve said projection and withdrawal.

7. A sampling apparatus adapted for sampling hot solids comprising asample cup for collecting sample solids; said cup being mounted on a rodwhich by movement in the direction of its longitudinal axis is capableof moving the cup into a body of falling solids whereby to collect asample of said solids in said cup and then of retracting the cup to asample collection zone; actuating means to actuate the rod to move thecup into said falling solids and to retract the cup to the collectionzone at preset periods of time; said actuating means comprising an aircylinder which moves the rod forward and backward; the interval of timewhen the cup is moved into the falling solids and is retracted to thecollection zone being controlled by a solenoid valve controlling airsupply to said cylinder to actuate the cylinder; said cup being open atthe top and having sloped sides to provide a cross-sectional area whichis smaller at the top than at the bottom of the cup; said cup having ahinged bottom which is counterweighted to hold the bottom normally in aclosed position when the cup is in the body of falling solids and whileit is withdrawn therefrom, a shield shielding the counterweighted bottomfrom the solids of the sample zone and means to engage and open saidhinged bottom when the cup is over the sample collection zone throughthe bottom thus opened.

1. A sampling device for sampling hot falling solids such as hot cementclinker which comprises a chute providing a path for said fallingsolids, a rod supporting a sample cup, said rod being mounted toselectively reciprocate and thereby cause the cup to be projected intosaid chute and into said path of falling solids whereby solids arecollected in the cup and to be withdrawn from said path to a cupemptying position over a sample collection zone, said cup being open atthe top and having a bottom member to close when the cup is in said pathand to open and to permit collected solids to discharge from the cupthrough the bottom portion thereof when the cup is moved over the samplecollection zone; means holding said bottom in the closed position whilethe cup is disposed in said path of solids and means to move the bottommember to the open position when the cup is moved over the samplecollection zone.
 2. A sampling device for sampling hot falling solidssuch as hot cement clinker which comprises a chute providing a path forsaid falling solids, a sample cup open at the top and having a bottommember which is hinged and selectively held in either a closed positionor in an open position, means for carrying the cup into the path offalling solids whereby said solids are collected in the cup and then outof said path to a sample collection zone, means for holding the bottommember normally in a closed position when the cup is in said path andmeans to move the bottom member to an open position when the cup iscarried over the sample collection zone.
 3. The sampling device of claim2 wherein the sides of the cup are sloped toward the bottom of the cupto provide a greater cross section at the bottom than at the top wherebyto minimize bridging of collected solids in the cup when the bottommember is open.
 4. The sampling device of claim 3 wherein the bottommember is hinged so as to be capable of moving to an open and also to aclosed position and is counterweighted at one end to hold the membernormally in the closed position when the cup is in the path of solidsand the opening means are provided over the sample collection zone toengage the bottom member and to overcome the closing movement of thecounterweight and to move the hinged bottom member to an open positionwhereby to permit discharge of solids in response to conveyance of thecup over the sample collection zone.
 5. The sampling device of claim 4wherein the counterweight is shielded from the falling solids of saidpath.
 6. The sampling device of claim 4 wherein the cup is mounted on arod which is capable of being reciprocated to project the cup into thesolids path and to withdraw the cup to the sample collection zone, saidrod being actuated by a fluid cylinder and means are provided toperiodically actuate said cylinder by controlling fluid supply to thecylinder whereby to achieve said projection and withdrawal.
 7. Asampling apparatus adapted for sampling hot solids comprising a samplecup for collecting sample solids; said cup being mounted on a rod whichby movement in the direction of its longitudinal axis is capable ofmoving the cup into a body of falling solids whereby to collect a sampleof said solids in said cup and then of retracting the cup to a samplecollection zone; actuating means to actuate the rod to move the cup intosaid falling solids and to retract the cup to the collection zone atpreset periods of time; said actuating means comprising an air cylinderwHich moves the rod forward and backward; the interval of time when thecup is moved into the falling solids and is retracted to the collectionzone being controlled by a solenoid valve controlling air supply to saidcylinder to actuate the cylinder; said cup being open at the top andhaving sloped sides to provide a cross-sectional area which is smallerat the top than at the bottom of the cup; said cup having a hingedbottom which is counterweighted to hold the bottom normally in a closedposition when the cup is in the body of falling solids and while it iswithdrawn therefrom, a shield shielding the counterweighted bottom fromthe solids of the sample zone and means to engage and open said hingedbottom when the cup is over the sample collection zone whereby to permitdischarge of solids from the cup through the bottom thus opened.